New Delhi, April 21 (NationPress) The Delhi High Court has issued an ex parte ad-interim injunction favoring Telugu film superstar Allu Arjun, prohibiting various entities from unauthorized commercial use of his name, image, voice, and other personality traits, particularly via artificial intelligence (AI) tools and deepfake technology.

A single-judge Bench presided over by Justice Tushar Rao Gedela delivered this interim ruling in a commercial lawsuit brought by the actor against several defendants, which included e-commerce platforms, intermediaries, and entities allegedly responsible for hosting inappropriate AI-generated material.

The lawsuit claimed significant exploitation of the actor’s likeness through the unauthorized sale of merchandise, the distribution of sexually explicit and derogatory content, and the use of AI technologies to replicate his voice and simulate scenarios such as “fake calls.”

In the ruling, the Delhi High Court noted that Allu Arjun is a “well-known, highly respected, and commercially successful actor in India,” famously referred to as the “Icon Star” of the Telugu film industry, with considerable goodwill and reputation cultivated over many years.

The order further acknowledged his journey from a child performer in “Vijetha” to national acclaim through hit films like “Pushpa: The Rise” and its sequel “Pushpa 2: The Rule,” indicating that the success of these movies and the fame of his dialogues and mannerisms signify his “iconic status.”

Justice Gedela emphasized that the evidence presented indicated that the actor’s “name, appearance, voice, manner of speaking, dialogues, gestures, attire, signature, and likeness” are unique attributes exclusively linked to him.

“The overwhelming documentary evidence… clearly demonstrates the stellar career of the plaintiff… The highly popular dialogues and other distinctive attributes also demonstrate the iconic status of the plaintiff,” stated the Delhi High Court.

Furthermore, it recognized that the actor had obtained legal protection through numerous trademark registrations of his name and associated marks, which warrant legal safeguarding.

On the matter of infringement, Justice Gedela noted that the defendants appeared to be prima facie involved in unauthorized commercial exploitation and misuse of the actor’s personality rights.

“The plaintiff has been able to prima facie establish a strong case in his favor… The balance of convenience… would favor the plaintiff,” the order asserted.

It added that denying interim relief could result in “irreparable loss and injury that may not be compensated in monetary terms.”

The Delhi High Court has prohibited the defendants and their affiliates from utilizing or exploiting Allu Arjun’s name, image, voice, or any recognizable attributes for commercial or personal gain, including through “Artificial Intelligence, Generative Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Deepfakes, Face Morphing” across both digital and physical platforms.

Moreover, it has barred the sale of merchandise such as clothing, posters, and other items featuring his likeness without authorization and prohibited the creation or distribution of AI-generated content mimicking his identity.

In light of specific infringing materials, the Delhi High Court instructed certain defendants to remove identified links and websites within 72 hours. It also mandated intermediaries to block any further infringing content upon notification by the plaintiff.

During the proceedings, one of the defendants claimed to be merely an intermediary and stated they had already removed the contested content upon receiving notice of the lawsuit.

The court ordered the submission of a compliance affidavit within three working days.

The Delhi High Court has scheduled the matter for review before the Joint Registrar on July 14 for the completion of pleadings and in court on September 24 for further hearings.

The Allu Arjun case adds to a growing trend of high-profile individuals asserting their personality and publicity rights before the Delhi High Court. Recently, notable figures such as former India cricketer and current head coach Gautam Gambhir, former captain Sunil Gavaskar, spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, actors Nagarjuna, Kajol, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, singer Jubin Nautiyal, filmmaker Karan Johar, and podcaster Raj Shamani have all sought court protection against unauthorized use of their identities, likenesses, or AI-generated imitations.